Resources for immigrants in Texas amid the coronavirus...

1of3South Texas groups are trying to help immigrant families amid the coronavirus outbreak. Migrant children crowd around a table to color pictures provided by Miriam Maus, a youth pastor in Nuevo Laredo, at the Good Samaritan Shelter in the same city on Wednesday, Nov. 13, 2019.Photo: Bob Owen /Staff photographer

3of3South Texas groups are trying to help immigrant families amid the coronavirus outbreak. Maria Victoria De la Cruz is a highly outspoken advocate for undocumented migrants and worker rights in San Antonio. She herself is undocumented and has been living in the U.S. for more than 20 years.Photo: Carlos Javier Sanchez | Contributor /

Whether left out of government aid or ill-supplied with Spanish-language educational materials, undocumented and legal immigrants are at risk of missing out on services made available amid the coronavirus pandemic.

Though many undocumented workers are performing jobs considered “essential,” they also are exempt from government aid. For example, cash assistance starting at $1,200 a person for those making under $75,000 under the CARES Act does not apply to people who have only a taxpayer ID and not a Social Security number — as is the case for many undocumented immigrants. If spouses are filing jointly, both must have Social Security numbers to be eligible.

The Families First Act added funds in the Women, Infants and Children and The Emergency Food Assistance programs, both of which immigrants are eligible for regardless of status. But only some noncitizens, including green card holders and refugees, are eligible for food stamps.

U.S. Customs and Immigration Services has issued guidelines for legal immigrants announcing they will not be negatively affected in their public charge evaluation for getting tested or treated for COVID-19.

Here is a list of resources for immigrants in South Texas who are in need of food, legal aid, health care and other aid.

The city has compiled a searchable tool of more than 150 services being provided by congregations, nonprofits, government agencies and other groups. Though it’s only in English, it searches for services based on your ZIP code: https://sacrd.org/directory/.

Legal aid

For those interested in adjusting their status or unsure of what aid they qualify for amid the pandemic, free legal consultations are still available at various organizations. While RAICES is no longer accepting walk-in appointments, legal consultations for new clients are still available Monday through Wednesday at 210-222-0964.

Catholic Charities of San Antonio has its Caritas Legal Aid program. Immigrants can schedule consultations by calling 210-455-6105. The agency also has interpreter and translation services at its main office. In lieu of in-person visits, the agency asks interested residents to call 210-222-1294 or email sfadhil@ccaosa.org.

Financial aid

While undocumented workers don’t qualify for unemployment insurance benefits, they still are protected by labor law rights and are entitled to full pay. The Texas Rio Grande Legal Aid group frequently handles workers’ rights cases and is still taking new consultations on its hotline, 888-988-9996. In Texas, DACA recipients are eligible for unemployment benefits.

Founded by three undocumented women, the national Betancourt-Macias Family Scholarship Foundation has set up a COVID-19 page where people can either donate to assist undocumented families during the crisis or fill out a form as an undocumented immigrant to receive such aid. Options are available in English and Spanish on its website: https://www.undocuscholars.com/.

The National Domestic Workers Alliance has set up a fund for domestic workers where they can apply to receive $400. Every Thursday, the group holds weekly webinars in English and in Spanish for domestic workers about the coronavirus outbreak, More information can be found at their website: https://membership.domesticworkers.org/coronavirus/.

For utility and rent assistance, immigrants can call the Catholic Charities-run Guadalupe Community Center at 210-226-6178 Monday through Friday, starting at 8:30 a.m. The program has been overwhelmed with calls, so staff warns that no appointments or cash assistance is guaranteed.

Food

The San Antonio Food Bank is open to residents regardless of legal status and is hosting drives in different locations throughout the city. With the help of the state National Guard, the Food Bank of the Rio Grande Valley, located in Pharr, is also holding mobile food drives on Tuesday and Thursday mornings, with Thursdays only for seniors 60 years and older.

Public schools are still offering meals to local children regardless of what schools they actually tend, public or otherwise.

The San Antonio Community Resource Directory includes food pantries closest to you. Find out by entering your ZIP code. Its website is https://sacrd.org/directory/.

Silvia Foster-Frau is the immigration reporter for the San Antonio Express-News and is the paper’s lead reporter on the Sutherland Springs mass shooting, which was the 5th deadliest in the country at the time of the attack in November 2017.

She grew up in Galesburg, Illinois, and took a gap year to live in Mexico after high school before attending Grinnell College. She graduated with a bachelor’s in English in 2015. Silvia interned at Minnesota Public Radio, wrote in English and Spanish for the bilingual Chicago newspaper Extra News, and in 2015 won the two-year Hearst Journalism Fellowship. She reported in Connecticut for a year and then moved to San Antonio in 2016.

In 2018 she won the Express-News’ Reporter of the Year award and Texas AP’s Michael Brick Storytelling Award. In 2019 she won Texas AP Star Reporter of the Year in the biggest newspaper category.

Silvia is half Puerto Rican and half Iowan. She loves breakfast tacos, frequently says “y’all” and keeps a stash of cascarones at her desk, so it’s safe to say she’s fully embraced the San Antonio way.